Are herding dogs aggressive?
Nelson Emmerich
2025-07-13 05:08:26
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After all, these breeds were initially bred to herd livestock, and sometimes that can lead to some aggression. But the truth is, herding dogs are no more aggressive than any other type of dog; it just depends on how they’re raised and trained. The Herding Instinct All herding dogs have a strong herding instinct, which means they love to chase and nip at things that move. However, this does not imply that herding dogs are automatically aggressive; it just means that they need an outlet for their herding instinct. If a herding dog does not have an outlet for its herding instinct, it may start to act out in other ways, such as barking excessively or chewing on furniture. The Different Types of Herding Dogs There are two types of herding dogs: those that bite and those that don’t. Biting herding dogs are often used on farms and ranches to herd livestock. These dogs are not typically recommended for homes with small children or other pets because they may mistake them for livestock and attempt to herd them. Non-biting herding dogs use barking and body language to herd livestock. They are considered less aggressive than biting herding dogs and are often recommended for homes with small children or other pets. There’s a lot of variation among the different types of herding dog breeds when it comes to aggressiveness. Some breeds, like the Border Collie, may have a higher propensity towards aggression. Others, like the Corgi, are less likely to be aggressive. Ultimately, it all comes down to how you raise and train the dog. Proper training and socialization can make any dog into a well-behaved pet.
Fatima Zulauf
2025-07-09 18:00:11
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Did you know that two of the top 10 dog breeds most likely to bite are herding dogs.
Herding breeds were bred for generations to control and move other animals.
For obvious reasons, these dogs cannot be permitted to maul or attack their wards.
However, in the act of controlling stock, especially cattle, judicial use of teeth is not just helpful, but absolutely necessary.
A cattle dog cannot move most cattle without the ability to bite to convince cattle that they are in charge.
Careful breeding over hundreds or thousands of generations has produced a whole group of dogs that not only desires to control another species, but to enforce that control through the use of their teeth when necessary.
These dogs have a built-in understanding that a face-off can and should be solved through aggression, and aggressive displays.
The two herding dogs on the list are German Shepherd and Australian Shepherd.
Dog Bite Severity - the herding breeds tend to use a quick bite and release type of behavior, whereas terriers may grab and hold, resulting in more damage and higher incident reporting rate in the latter type of dog.
When we take these dogs into our homes it is necessary to understand how these dogs have used aggression to control stock and their environment in the past, and how that intact instinct affects their behavior towards everything from fast moving children, to approaching strangers, to cyclists and moving vehicles.
If we give these dogs a clear appreciation of what parts of the environment are theirs to control, and what are not their business, and if we give them an outlet to use their incredible problem solving minds, we can readily help these dogs learn that the use of teeth in a given context may not be the best option available.
Sienna Barton
2025-06-28 14:02:42
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Initially the family was worried about Gambini being aggressive, but after spending some time observing him, I noticed that he was mainly playing and occasionally just displaying his herding instincts. Herding breeds nip for a number of reasons, the most common one being that it is their DNA. Herding dogs may nip at heels or other pets, reflecting their instinct to herd. This behavior, often triggered by movement, is especially noticeable around young children. Some herding dogs might also nip as a way to get attention, out of boredom, and for most puppies, as a way of playing or teething. Because of these instincts it might seem like training a herding dog is more difficult than other breeds, but that’s not necessarily the case. A herding dog, like Gambini, just needs a little extra training and attention.
Cleo Gislason
2025-06-28 13:24:05
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Aggression isn't so clean cut-technically any dog can behave aggressively. You can flip someone off, but not actually intend them any harm-this is still an act of aggression. If its predictable, you can call it an aggression problem, but I prefer to focus on the cause (anxiety, fear, uncertainty) than the behaviour itself (aggression) when talking freely, simply because it's hard to deal with aggression and most people don't understand that it doesn't mean they're not out to get you ALL the time. He doesn't want to do damage-that doesn't mean he's not stressed, it means he doesn't want to be in the situation he's been put in, and he needs a better way of being able to leave. Forgive him a little-he is actually scared, and not just faking it or jumping into fight mode for fun. Understanding how fear works can be tricky since it's not always rational, but it can be improved if you go slowly enough. He sounds like he's trying.
Idella Mosciski
2025-06-28 12:57:19
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They retain their herding instincts and may sometimes nip at people’s heels or bump them in an effort to ‘herd’ their family, and may need to be trained not to do so. The herding instinct can be hard to live with. They might look as though they are taking part in a ‘chase’ game and running around after another dog. However, this will very quickly become a case of the collie trying to drive the other dog and snapping or barking at it if it doesn’t go the right way. Cats are another animal that a herding dog likes to chase. You will need to pay attention to your dog if they think they can chase the cat, and again, distract and reward for non-chasing.
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